


Jingle, Jangle, Jingle (As I go ridin' merrily along)

by Gudrun



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Body Modification, Bondage gear, Breeding, Consent Issues, Other, People living as animals, Piercings, Ponies specifically, Pony Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-13
Updated: 2015-04-13
Packaged: 2018-03-22 17:57:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3738154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gudrun/pseuds/Gudrun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Welcome to Shield Stables, where we'll see to all of your pony's needs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jingle, Jangle, Jingle (As I go ridin' merrily along)

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was written with the intention of being unrealistic. There are physically impossible things written as if they were possible, and most problematic issues are handwaved away. It's a self-indulgent fantasy piece, so suspend your sense of disbelief and just enjoy.
> 
> This story features people who voluntarily choose to live a pony lifestyle full time. They are treated as animals, not as people roleplaying. While the ponies consensually sign up, they aren't given a choice about what happens to them once they become ponies. There will be references to selling/auctioning ponies, as well as abuse. If this could be triggering, please stop now.
> 
> Owner/Pony pairings are marked with "&" and normal relationships will have a "/".

Loki looked out the window, only half paying attention to Tony’s chatter as they drove. The man had a tendency to ramble and Loki was more interested in their destination, wondering if it was everything he’d been told it was, if the hype would live up to reality, or if he was going to be disappointed when they arrived, as he all too often was.

The drive was a bit longer than he’d like, but it was necessary. Shield Stables was a vast, private expanse, surrounded on all sides by wide growths of forest. The trees ensured complete privacy, and in the event that wasn’t enough, they also masked an extensive, state of the art security system. Although it was only about an hour from New York, most people had no idea that such an extensive facility even existed. Those who did know either worked there or paid handsomely to use the services it provided.

Tony Stark was not only one of the people who paid; he was one of the estate’s owners.

Finally, they pulled up the gate and security checked Loki’s ID, making sure he was on the approved guest list before waving them through. Loki approved of the measures, noting the devices designed to disable an unauthorized vehicle. They continued up the long drive, Loki sitting up and paying attention as Tony reeled off information about the facility and its construction. As they got deeper in, the trees began to thin, revealing well-maintained grounds. Loki looked out the window with interest. “Impressive,” he murmured, noting the wide trails winding their way out of sight. He didn’t see anyone out on the trails, but it was still before noon on a Tuesday. Most owners probably didn’t come out very often at this time.

“It should be, for what people pay for it,” Tony said, drawing Loki out of his thoughts.

“I thought you said the services were well worth it?”

“Oh, they are,” Tony assured him. “I wouldn’t write them so many big checks. Or stable Pepper, Happy and Rhodey here if this wasn’t the absolute best place for them. And the services they offer are unparalleled. You just have to be prepared to pay for it.”

“Oh, I am,” Loki said quietly. He’d been looking for a long time to find the right place for Thor and had been hesitant to expand his collection until he did. If what Tony had promised was true, then this would be exactly what he was looking for.

The trees ended out completely and in their place was an expanse of fields and paddocks. The road ended before a sprawling set of buildings. The smallest one, that likely contained offices, was situated directly in front. As Tony parked and they got out of the car, Loki could see a large, U-shaped stable behind it and another building off to the side. While all the buildings were tall, it clearly had two floors and was much larger than the office building.

A man came out to greet them as they parked and got out. He was in his mid-forties, with thinning hair and a lean build. He also wore a suit, which Loki would have found slightly incongruous if he and Tony weren’t wearing them as well. The man extended a hand. “Good morning, Mr. Stark. We’ve been expecting you.”

“Phil,” Tony replied, shaking his hand. “How are my babies?”

“Excellent as always.” The man turned to Loki and extended his hand. “Stable Master Phil Coulson,” he introduced himself. “Welcome to Shield Stables, Mr. Laufeyson.”

Loki returned the handshake, Coulson’s grip sure and firm. He could feel the calluses on the stable master’s hand and couldn’t contain a slight smile. A stable master who actually worked with the animals was always something he looked for. How could someone run a stable if they didn’t get to know their charges?

“Very pleased to be here,” Loki said. “And eager to look around.”

“Of course.” Coulson turned back to Tony. “You’re free to go check in on Pepper, Rhodey and Happy, and take them out if you’d like. Jasper’s around if you need any help.”

“Great, thanks. I might hold off since I don’t know how long you and Loki are going to be.”

Coulson inclined his head. “Fair enough.” Looking back to Loki, he gestured toward the building behind him. “If you’d follow me, Mr. Laufeyson, I’ll be happy to take you on a tour.”

“Loki, please, Master Coulson.”

Coulson laughed. “Then I insist you call me Phil. No need to be so formal.”

“Of course.”

Phil led the way into the building, showing Loki the offices and where they were located as he spoke. “This is where all of our offices are and where we handle all the paperwork. Our other principal owner is Alexander Pierce, though he’s rarely in attendance.”

“He doesn’t stable his own ponies here?”

Phil shook his head. “He travels a lot. He only has one stallion right now and he prefers to take him with him.”

“Sounds cumbersome.”

Phil shrugged with a rueful smile. “It’s his choice, and he has the means to do it. Now, the stables are managed by Director Nick Fury, though he’s not often here. The day to day running of the stables is handled by myself and Assistant Stable Master Maria Hill.”

“Is there always a stable master present?” Loki asked.

“Yes. There are always several staff on, but we firmly believe is making sure that one of us is always on site in case of emergencies. There is a private residence on the estate that we use. We tend to switch off, two weeks on, two weeks off. One of us, or the Director, is always here, so you’ll meet all of us eventually.”

Loki nodded approvingly. So far, everything seemed to be handled well. “Very good. Who’s in charge of the stables themselves?”

“That would be Head Ostlers Jasper Sitwell, Sharon Carter and Melinda May. Like Master Hill and myself, one of them is also on site at all times. We have a number of stable hands as well.”

“Sounds like you run a tight ship.”

“We try,” Phil said firmly. “We know how important what we do is, and that a badly run stable can scar not just ponies, but owners.”

“True. Would I be able to look at some of the animals here, to see how they’re kept and treated?”

Phil nodded. “Of course. Because of privacy concerns, we can’t allow you to look at our other clients’ ponies until you’re signed a contract, but the staff owns several ponies of our own, and those are available for you to view.” He led Loki out the back door of the office building. “They’re in the stable wing to your right. Unfortunately, our stable hands finished their morning shift shortly before you arrived, or you would be able to see them at work as well.”

“That’s all right, as long as you can answer any questions I might have.”

“Absolutely. Here we are.” He walked into the wing, through the open doorway. Loki frowned minutely at the open doors. Clearly, Phil caught the expression because he spoke up. “We do leave the doors open when the weather permits to get them fresh air, but all stalls are locked and secured.”

Their shoes tapped slightly on the sealed concrete floor and looking around, Loki could see that everything inside was in immaculate condition. The wood of the stalls was a rich, honey oak color and it gleamed, as did the steel handles and locks on each door. Above each stall was a small bronze name plate, engraved with the ponies’ names along with their owners. Several of the stalls were open, the top half of the doors pulled back, but he could see more were closed.

“Client horses,” Phil explained. “The doors will only be closed as long as you’re here. We do not keep our ponies isolated unless they’re demonstrating behavior problems and their training or rehabilitation requires it. Now, let me introduce you to some of our stock.”

He led Loki over to the first open stall. “This Darcy,” Phil said. “She belongs to one of our two veterinarians, Jane Foster, whom you’ll meet later. Darcy is primarily a cart pony, though she’s been trained in dressage as well.” Phil snapped his fingers and clucked his tongue softly. “Come here, Darcy. There’s a good girl.”

Darcy came forward, right up the stall door, nuzzling into Phil’s hand with clear affection. She was pretty and young with a well curved body, highlighted by the red corset cinched around her torso. Tiny silver piercings in her nipples reflected the light. Her long, curly black hair was pulled into a ponytail at the crown of her head. Her arms were laced together behind her back in an arm binder than covered everything from shoulder to fingertip.

“We keep their arms bound during the day to encourage proper posture, and release them when we put them down for the night,” Phil explained. “We do not allow any pony to have their arms restricted all the time. I know there are owners who do, whose goal is to cripple the limbs to encourage the proper mindset and behavior, but we do not allow that.” He was stern as he finished and Loki winced inwardly, knowing that the vehemence most likely came from having to enforce that rule in the past.

“That’s fine,” Loki agreed quickly. He peered down at Darcy’s feet, noting they were encased in knee-high hoof boots. “Will those support ponies of all sizes?”

“Yes. They’re individually fitted to each animal, and we offer multiple types, depending on what you use your ponies for.”

“Do they wear them full time?”

“It depends on the pony, but most do, yes. We make sure their feet are always healthy and clean, of course, and that gives them a chance to stretch, but most of the time they’re in the boots. The one drawback of that is that it tends to shorten the Achilles tendons, which leads to toe-walking when the boots are off. Some owners don’t like that, so we make sure those ponies spend enough time out of the boots to prevent it.”

“You consider that different from the arm binding?” Loki asked curiously.

Phil nodded. “I can see on the surface why it might seem the same, but it’s not. Toe-walking doesn’t prevent function in their legs or feet. And if it’s necessary, we can stretch the tendons back out without much difficulty.”

Loki nodded. That’s what he figured, but he was gratified that Phil and Shield understood as well. In Thor’s case it wasn’t an issue, as he’d already been wearing hooves so long that his tendons had shortened. “What else can you show me about them?”

Phil lightly tapped Darcy’s jaw. “Open up, Darce.”

She did, obediently opening her mouth wide so they could look inside. Loki frowned at the sight of a device covering her lower palate. “What is that?” he asked.

“Shield has developed a number of technologies to make owning, training, and caring for ponies easier. What you see here is something we recommend for each pony stabled here. It’s a permanent bit. Unlike other bits, this is designed to remain in a pony’s mouth at all times. In the long run, it’s gentler on their mouths and provides a more secure place to attach bridles, as well as giving owners greater control over their ponies’ heads.”

Loki tipped Darcy’s head up to get a better view. A flat, rubber coated metal plate covered all the space between her lower teeth, held on by brackets that fit over her molars. What looked like two rows of four piercings ran down the front half of her tongue, and behind each row was a narrow, L-shaped groove with a circular cut out at the far end.

“Can you explain how it works?” he asked.

“Of course. The first thing our vets do it take a mold of the pony’s lower jaw so the manufacturing techs can create a custom bit. Then they pierce the pony’s tongue, typically with eight piercings as you can see here, though the amount can vary. Once the piercings have healed, the vets clean and seal the teeth. Then they mount the bit, first through the piercings in the tongue to keep it in place and then securing it on the back molars with the same epoxy used for dental appliances. Once it’s on, bridle attachments just hook into the cutouts.”

“And it doesn’t cause any problems with feeding or hygiene?”

“Not at all. We recommend nothing too difficult to eat, and while there is an adjustment period, once they’re used to it they have no difficulty chewing or swallowing. Their teeth are brushed and rinsed with mouthwash after breakfast and dinner. And when it’s required, the bit can be removed fairly easily and with no lasting damage. They receive check ups every six months or so.”

Loki let go of Darcy’s jaw and she closed her mouth. Phil gave her another pat and let her walk away from the stall door. So far, Loki was very impressed. He looked around Darcy’s stall, noting a thick mat in a corner and a drain in the other. One of the walls held a blank screen and there was a series of straps hanging from the ceiling over the mat.

“Tell me about the stalls,” he said.

“They are customizable, within reason. Most of us choose to have the bare floors, like you see in Darcy’s stall, but there are some owners that like a straw flooring. Most owners also choose to have a mat for the ponies to rest and sleep on.”

“And the straps?”

“Sometimes the owners prefer their ponies to sleep standing up. The straps support their weight and keep them in position even when they’re asleep.” He gestured and they moved to the stall next to Darcy’s. Black Widow was written above the stall. “This is Widow, Maria’s mare. As you can see, Maria favors a stricter hand with her.” Loki nodded, noting the rigid corset, posture collar and arms folded up tight behind her back, between her shoulderblades. The black of the materials contrasted nicely with her flame red hair, as the red of Darcy’s had with her black hair. Like Darcy, she was pierced, but with thicker ringers. “She’s dressage and cart, as well, but Maria doesn’t allow her a mat to sleep on. There’s a thinner one for resting during the day. As you can see, sleeping standing at night doesn’t adversely affect her.”

“Indeed.” Widow’s posture was excellent, and her muscles were defined under her skin, though it didn’t detract from her beauty. Loki made a mental note to see about doing the same for Thor, at least some of the time. “The drains are for them to relieve themselves, I assume.”

“Yes, although just for urine. They’re trained not to do anything else unless it’s an emergency. The stablehands will give them enemas twice a day in the wash stall at the other end of the building.”

Loki frowned. “Why would they need to be trained? Wouldn’t their tails prevent them from doing that?”

Phil grinned. “Let me show you. Turn around Widow.” The pony did and Loki was able to see what he’s missed previously with Darcy. The pony’s tail wasn’t part of a butt plug. Instead, it sprouted from just about the pony’s buttocks.

“Another development we use,” Phil explained. We use their tailbone to anchor a small port that allows us attach the tails in a way that’s both easier, more secure, and offers a more realistic look.” He demonstrated by grasping the base of Widow’s tail and twisting. There was a small click and the tail came off, exposing a silvery port embedded in Widow’s flesh.

“Ingenious,” Loki murmured, examining it closely before nodding to Phil that he was done. Phil reattached the tail and patted Widow on the rump.

“And the screens?” Loki asked, turning the conversation back to something else that intrigued him.

“TVs. We give them a few hours a day to combat boredom and keep them calm, especially in the winter when we can’t let them out for as long. Owners can specify what they watch, but it’s generally a combination of nature programming and training videos.”

Loki hummed thoughtfully. “I like what I see so far.”

“Would you care to see more of the ponies?”

“I would. Lead on.”

They walked past a few more dressage ponies—mostly female, but with a few male—and then they came up to strictly cart ponies. Phil indicated one stall. “This is a double stall. Very often if an owner has a matched set, they want the ponies kept together. It helps foster the bond they need to work perfectly together.” Pointing to the thick, compact pony inside, who made no move to approach the open door, he said, “Right now, Hulk has the stall to himself. The extra space is part of his rehab.”

“Rehab?” Loki asked, frowning.

Phil shook his head and sighed. “He was badly mistreated by his previous owner. One of Shield’s missions is to make sure all ponies are treated well and with respect. When we come across one that isn’t, we make a concerted effort to secure ownership and rehabilitate them. He has some deep seated anger and trust issues, and those will need to be dealt with before we can begin to retrain him properly.”

“Do all rescue ponies wear cock cages?” Loki asked, indicating the heavy looking metal device.

Phil shook his head. “We refer to it as gelding, obviously non-surgical. In Hulk’s case, we made the decision to geld him after evaluation showed that it would be beneficial.”

“Will you keep him like that?”

“As long as he remains at Shield Stables, yes. Though it’s not policy, most males with smaller statures and male cart ponies are gelded. It helps separate them from the stallions, both visually and in temperament. They’re definitely calmer after being gelded, and we would recommend that Hulk’s next owner keep him so.”

“I see. So what will end up happening to them if you can succeed in training him?”

“If he can be rehabbed, we’ll sell him. Current clients get first choice, and then employees if they’re interested. If not, we’ll begin looking for outside buyers.”

“And if you can’t find a buyer?”

“In that very unlikely scenario, we’ll keep him on as a training pony.” Hulk snorted at that and Phil jerked his head to indicate they should move away. “He’s been very good so far, but he doesn’t like people talking about him where he can hear. Bad memories, though he’s getting better. Let’s not rile him up if we can help it.”

“Of course.” Loki cast another look at Hulk as they turned away. He had a powerful, compact body and Loki could easily see him trotting down a path, pulling a cart. Hulk didn’t have quite what Loki was looking for, but a pony like him was something to think about it.

“And over here are our stallions. I believe Tony said you had one yourself?”

“I do. Thor. He’s the reason I’m here. I’m often busy with work and I can’t give him the care and attention he needs in the city. He’s still at my family’s estate and I’d like to have him with me”

Phil nodded knowingly. “A pony’s care and upkeep can be extremely difficult, even for long time owners.”

“My parents always had ponies growing up, but they in the country and they had plenty of room. I just don’t have that right now and he’d be unhappy.”

“Making sure our animals are given the care they need and deserve is our top priority,” Phil assure him.

“I can see that.”

The stallions were all breath-taking specimens, large and well muscled. Loki noted that almost all had large genitals, their testicles especially so. Loki raised an eyebrow. “They’re very...impressive.”

Phil laughed. “A little cosmetic enhancement. We use weighted implants to make the testicles bigger and heavier, which then stretches their sacs a bit. It’s a little uncomfortable for them, but doesn’t harm them, and most people like the look.” Loki tried to pictured Thor, enlarged testicles hanging heavy against his thick thighs, and agreed.

“We generally clip the foreskin on our male ponies, too, but that’s up to individual taste.”

“Any particular reason?”

“A lot of the males have both reverse Prince Albert piercings and lower belly button piercings. Before their owners take them out, they’ll stimulate them, bind their cocks so they can’t go soft, and clip the two piercings together. It keeps their cocks in place while they run, and the effect is rather attractive.”

“Interesting,” Loki murmured.

“The next stallion is mine,” Phil continued, “but I wanted to warn you because Ward’s appearance can be a bit startling.”

“Oh?”

“I told you earlier we developed technology for ponies. One of our biggest requests from clients is a way for them to actually ride their ponies and not just for pretend or dressed up for show. A few of years ago, our doctors found a way to do it.” Loki looked over at Phil sharply. That was something he’d always dreamed about doing with Thor, riding him, feeling that bulk and muscle moving under him. But given a pony’s physiology, it was impossible. He'd thought it would always remain just a fantasy.

“I see you’re interested. But I must warn you, we do not perform the procedure on just any pony. They have to meet strict physical criteria and the owner must be willing to have their pony permanently altered. Everything else we do can be reversed, but this can’t without a lot of effort and difficulty.”

That was something Loki could understand. There were a lot of fads, and permanently modifying a pony to a significant degree was frowned upon because it made them more difficult to sell. And if an owner was particularly fond of their pony, it would be terrible to make that kind of decision, only to change your mind a few years down the road. Loki considered Thor his greatest possession and he knew his stallion would almost certainly fit the criteria, but he wanted to see what the results would look like first.

He was momentarily shocked when he saw Grant, but that faded quickly. At first glance, Grant looked normal. He was tall, build running a little on the lean side for Loki’s taste, but still strong enough to carry a rider. Like the other ponies, he was outfitted with the standard gear of bit, hooves and harness. But unlike the other ponies, Grant’s torso was encased from neck to hips in a rigid form. It forced his spine to curve in nearly a semicircle, his upper body bent over at the waist and then his back arching so that his chest was mostly upright again. His arms were secured wrist to elbow across his lower back.

“How did you do that?” Loki asked, awed. In his mind’s eye, he could easily see how a saddle could be affixed to the body form over the lower back.

“One of our vets, Dr. Erskine, came up with a serum that can be injected into the vertebrae. It temporarily softens the bone and then a body cast forces them into the proper shape while the bone rehardens. After that, they’re physically fine, however we have to use this form to give them support. Otherwise, it’s too difficult for them to stand and walk around. And they must sleep standing up. Some have tried to sleep on mats, but none have been able to.” He gestured a waist high padded table set against one wall. “They can use that to rest on as well, in combination with the straps. It's something most people aren't willing to subject their animals to; we’ve only performed the procedure one about a half dozen animals, though we’ve yet to have any complications.”

“Quite understandable,” Loki replied faintly, mouth dry. Looking at Ward, Loki was fairly certain that Thor would meet the requirements. As far as the discomforts went, he knew Thor would be able to handle them. How long before he could see Thor changed the same way?

They lingered a few minutes longer, letting Phil pet and praise Grant while Loki examined him. “There is one more pony I’d like to show you, but she’s in the clinic. Follow me please.” He led Loki out of the stable and to the building set a short distance away. “I believe Dr. Foster is the only one on today, though Dr. Selvig is often here as well.” He pushed the door open. “Jane, are you here?”

“Yes!” a light female voice called out. “Be there in just a minute.”

Loki heard an odd clopping sound and wondered if there was a pony being walked down the hallway, but then Dr. Foster came out to greet them and Loki saw the source of the noise. His brows raised at the dainty hooves the vet’s legs ended in and the long, brown tail he could see hanging down to her knees behind her. She grinned a little shyly when she noticed where he was looking.

“I signed a two year contract with Dr. Selvig in return for him paying for med school,” she explained, answering the unspoken question. “I enjoyed it very much. Not enough to stay, but enough to continue using a few of the things I liked most.”

Loki nodded. Pay for play was fairly common, especially for enthusiasts who couldn't devote the time required for lifetime ownership. “You must have been a gorgeous creature,” Loki murmured, eying her slim, petite frame and flawless features.

“I have pictures,” Phil offered helpfully.

“Phil!” Dr. Foster protested, laughing. “Behave! Sorry about that,” she said to Loki. “I’m Jane, welcome to Shield.”

“Thank you.”

“Come on, let me give you to tour. Do you want him to see Skye, Phil?”

“Yes, but we can end with her.”

Jane led him through the clinic, and Loki managed to pay attention, even with Jane’s hooves ringing on the tile and her tail streaming from the back of her pants providing an enticing distraction. She explained their full range of services, which were extensive, including a full operation suite, and that they could handle almost any issue that arose. In the event that they couldn’t, they had contacts they could bring in, preventing the need to remove the ponies from an environment where they felt safe.

Loki felt the last of his major qualms reassured by Jane and her professional and competent manner. He also liked that she had experience with issues that ponies faced, and would be able to empathize with them. He was smiling by the time they rejoined Phil in the main office area and Phil seemed pleased by that.

“You mentioned another pony?”

“Yes, Skye. Follow me.”

Phil and Jane led Loki to another hallway. There were four stalls, two on either side, and Phil immediately went to the first one on his left. “Shield offers a rather exclusive service in that we breed our ponies. Skye here is owned by Olster May and was bred several months ago by one of our clients.”

Loki gave a low whistle. The only tack Skye wore were the boots, tail and a body harness that was attached to the straps hanging from the ceiling. The swell of her belly was clearly visible. “Lovely,” he murmured. “I assume the owner will raise the child?”

“Yes. We do not breed to sell, per se.”

“Per se?” Loki raised an eyebrow.

“Some couples looking to adopt contract us a breeding service, rather than go through the more conventional routes. They select the dam and/or stud, and compensate the owners and Shield for time and services.”

“Can owners breed their own ponies?”

“Of course, though there are costs if they want us to oversee the pregnancy.”

“Ah, yes, that seems quite reasonable.” He looked around. “I have to admit, Phil, I am impressed. Very impressed. You have an incredible operation here and I would love to see my own stallion stabled here.”

Phil grinned. “I’m very glad to hear that.” He glanced at his watch. “The stable hands have begun exercising the ponies. As much as I’d like you to watch, I’m afraid you can’t until we get your signature on a contract. Mr. Stark gave permission if you want to use his cart pony to tour the grounds. They should be ready if you’d like to go now.”

“That sounds excellent, thank you.”

Phil took him out of the vet’s office, keeping toward the front of the building and towards where the trails spread out over the grounds. Waiting at the beginning of the trails was a small group. There was Tony, changed into riding attire and holding the reins of his dark brown stallion, Rhodey, who had been modified for riding. Loki looked forward to seeing it in action. Next to him was a pretty blonde woman, standing next to a light cart hitched to a strong, solid pony. That had to be Happy. As they got closer, Loki could see that Happy was gelded, as Phil had described earlier.

Sharon introduced herself and watched to make sure that Loki was securely in the cart before stepping back. “Not taking Pepper with you today?” Phil asked Tony. “She’ll be disappointed.”

Tony frowned. “She’d have to follow behind the cart.”

“I don’t think she’d mind,” Phil said wryly. “She likes showing off.”

Tony turned to Sharon. “Do you mind?”

She smiled. “Not at all. I’ll have her out in a few minutes.” Sharon hurried back to the other wing of the stables. While they waited, Tony set his foot into a stirrup and swung himself up into the saddle, Rhodey dipping for a moment before he found his balance. Tony sat low on Rhodey’s back, so that only his shoulders and head were above Rhodey’s head. It didn’t look too difficult to balance. Tony walked him back and forth a few times to settle him and then turned back to Loki. “So, what do you think?”

Loki grinned. “I think I’ve found Thor a new home. This is probably the finest facility I’ve seen and I would be completely confident keeping him stabled here.”

Tony grinned right back. “I told you, didn’t I? I would only keep my babies in the finest accommodations. There’s nothing else that can rival this place.”

Letting Tony preen, Loki settled back, getting the reins comfortable in his hands. Perhaps five minutes later, Sharon led another pony out of the stable toward them. This had to be Pepper. She was tall and lithe, fair skinned with long strawberry-blonde hair pulled into the ubiquitous ponytail. Her tack was all a bright, sapphire blue which complimented her coloring wonderfully, topped off with a bright plume on top of her head. As she was led closer, he could see there were small bells attached to her nipple and clit piercings, jingling merrily as she trotted forward.

“Hey, precious,” Tony said, stroking her cheek as she nuzzled his hand, whickering softly. “You ready to go for a run with us?” She whinnied enthusiastically, and Tony chuckled, nodding for Sharon to attach Pepper’s reins to the back off the cart. Sharon used a slip knot, ensuring that if Pepper somehow stumbled or fell, she wouldn’t be dragged behind the cart. Once she was secure, he settled. “All right, let’s go.”

With a light thump of his heels, he set Rhodey off down the path. Loki flicked the reins against Happy’s back and pony started off smoothly, quickly catching up to Tony. Behind them, Pepper trotted behind, bells ringing softly in the clear air. The clop of the ponies’ hooves was relaxing and he and Tony traveled in silence, content to enjoy the early afternoon in peace and quiet.

As they went, he kept glancing at Rhodey to see how he was holding up. He was covered with a light sheen of sweat, but he didn’t seem to be having any difficulty. He carried Tony easily, his footing sure.

“How long can he carry you?” Loki asked after a while.

“A couple hours easily. If we stopped for enough breaks, I could be out with him all day.”

“Can you ride every day?”

Tony shook his head. “Maybe short rides, but not extended. It is taxing on him and I don’t want to risk injury. Besides, I don’t get to come out that often.”

“Fair enough.”

They continued on in silence, the cart rolling easily over the smooth path. The sounds of the ponies’ hooves clopping along, mixed with the jingling of their tack and ringing of Pepper’s bells, was pleasant, and he soon lost track of time. All too soon, they found themselves back at the beginning of the path. Loki stepped down from the cart with no small amount of disappointment. He would have liked to have ridden some more.

“There are longer paths,” Tony explained as he swung down, patting Rhodey’s ass for a job well done. Some are intended to be full day drives, with plenty of places for the ponies to stop and rest.”

Loki smiled. “Excellent.”

Tony took several minutes to pet and praise his ponies before Sharon came over to lead them back to the stable. “So?”

Loki just gave Tony a look. “You know very well how impressive this place is, you don’t need my approval. I’d like to get the paperwork signed, so I can get Thor shipped over as soon as possible.”

“Phil will have the paperwork. I’m gonna go get changed and then I’ll meet you at the car.”

With a wave, Tony headed off while Loki went back to the offices. Phil was waiting, the paperwork already laid out on his desk. Loki signed quickly, arranging the transfer of funds, and within fifteen minutes, he was stepping back outside, a copy of the contract in his hand.

He took a last look around before going to the car. This would really be the best place for Thor. Remote and surrounded by trees, it would give him the space he needed to truly be himself and enjoy what he was. And hopefully soon, Loki would be able to give him some companions.


End file.
